Of Mothers And Mums
by TeebsSingerWriter
Summary: Beth is 15 when she learns about her real parents. She and Shelby still live in Lima. Quinn is in L.A. trying to build an acting career. Puck is on an unsuccesful band calling themselves "The Lionskulls". Beths non-half-sister and Shelby's ONLY biological daughter Rachel is on Broadway. How can all of these people handle this mess without wanting to rip each other's throats out?
1. Old Truths

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, glee or any of the characters or songs mentioned in this story. **

* * *

_Note: Reviews always guilt me into writing more. Plus, I really like to hear all of your thoughts and on my stories and your guesses on how they may progress, whether they are accurate or not.  
_

_One last thing: As you may notice, English is not my first language. So, if you find any grave errors in my stories, especially ones I make regularly, I'd be glad if you informed me so I don't do it again.  
_

_So, now go read and, hopefully, enjoy!_

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_"The art of mothering is the art of teaching the art of living to children."_

_Elain Heffner_

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**Of Mothers And Mums  
**

**- Chapter 1 -  
**

**Old Truths**

Beth knew something was wrong the instant her Mum hugged her. Shelby had felt unnaturally stiff, and she'd released her from her arms way too soon. But she'd ignored it, at first, had played it down. Maybe what her Mum was struggling with were Mum problems, nothing she should care about or could even understand. That's what she'd been telling herself. At first.

Then, after she'd said goodbye to everyone, she'd gotten into her Mum's car on the passenger seat and waited for Shelby to say something. It was not like her Mum was a quiet person, and they had definitely something to talk about. Apart from the strange hug, Shelby had made no attempts to congratulate her so far, when she definitely should. This was what her Mum had wanted her to do, the thing she'd always been most supportive about (though there would have been no need of pressuring Beth into it – she genuinely enjoyed it).

From the day she had been born, Shelby had been her very private vocal coach. She'd also shown her dance moves, given her valuable advice on how to present herself and basically just done everything that would help her once she would take a stage. And Beth had. Today had been her first performance with her glee club in a competition, and they'd won. She'd even had been given what could count as a tiny solo, which meant she'd sung two lines in the group number, but that wasn't exactly the norm for a freshman who had only just joined the New Directions, a glee club that had, more often than not, made it to Nationals in the last decade and that had a significant number of trophies stored in its showcase. She'd definitely risen fast enough. And she wanted, definitely wanted her Mum to be proud of her.

Yet there they were, with an awkward silence filling the air between them. Beth watched Shelby's knuckles become increasingly white as her mother's grip on the steering wheel got tighter by the second. That was when she decided to speak up.

"I know something's going on, you know." She said solemnly.

Shelby let out a long, heavy sigh. "I know."

"But you won't tell me." Beth did not phrase it as a question, because she knew her mother. She did not expect an answer, and she was surprised when she actually got one.

"You reminded me of someone. Up there." Shelby made a gesture in the general direction of the area in front of them, as if she could still see the stage Beth had performed on so recently.

Beth just nodded, savoring the tiny piece of information Shelby had just given her. She assumed that her Mum had referred to the father she had never known. The one that had, apparently, left them when Beth had still been an infant. _So I look or act like him._, she thought, and eventually ended up whispering the words, carefully testing them on her tongue. Did she want to be like her father?

She didn't know. Her Mum had been very evasive whenever she'd tried to ask her questions about him. Sometimes Beth thought she had a memory of him, a very distant one. In these memories, she always heard a voice singing to her, and sometimes a guitar. And sometimes she thought there was the voice of a girl or a woman, a woman that was not her Mum.

_That must have been his girlfriend._ , Beth thought. _The reason he left us._

When this thought hit her, she swallowed hard. She definitely did not want to be like her dad when it came to the whole leaving-his-family stuff. But she wished that she could meet him, just once. That she could see what he looked like, what he was like … _And what if I'm really more like him than like Mum?_

No. That was not possible. Shelby was her mother. She'd raised her for more than fifteen years. That must have had some influence on her.

_I am not my father._She thought. _At least I am reliable and responsible, two things he proved he wasn't when he left me._

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Shelby parked the car in front of the house the apartment the two of them lived in was in. Beth got out of the car, followed her Mum up the stairs and, telling Shelby good night, went straight to her room.

* * *

She woke up early the next morning, and, as if her intuition told her she had to, rolled of her bed and got dressed instantly.

Her mother was already waiting in the kitchen, leaning heavily against the counter. She motioned for Beth to take a seat, while she started pacing the small room. Beth sat down, waiting for her Mum to collect herself. She had rarely seen Shelby in this state. When they had talked about sex, for example, or when her mother had told her that she had a half sister, Rachel, whom Shelby had been a surrogate to. So she knew that it would be futile to interrupt her mother's pacing or pressure her into talking by asking questions. She just waited.

"I need to tell you something." Shelby finally said, meeting Beth's hazel eyes with her own slightly darker ones. Beth just nodded calmly, giving her Mum time to phrase whatever she was trying to say. She certainly was not prepared for what Shelby blurted out next.

"I am not your mother."

Beth shook her head, trying to grasp the words Shelby had just said. "Wait, that doesn't make any sense. You are my Mum! You raised me, you taught me everything, you gave birth to me-"

"No! I did not!" Shelby cried out, cutting her off. "Beth, listen. I am not your biological mother."

Then, suddenly, Beth stopped shaking her head and closed her eyes, trying to listen to the turmoil that was going on inside her. There was only one thought that was clear in the middle of what was a jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions, and she barely dared to ask the question.

"Then who is?"

"Her name is Quinn Fabray. She was only a teenager when she got pregnant from Noah Puckerman, also a teen, and she knew she couldn't raise you right, so she gave you up for adoption and I –"

"Don't." Beth said, not wanting to hear all the facts her mother – no, Shelby Corcoran - was telling her faster then she could possibly grasp them. She couldn't hear them, not right now, not when everything she had ever believed to be true, the very foundations of her life, shattered. Then she got up, and, without any more words, slowly walked towards her room.

The woman she had believed to be her mother did not try to stop her.

Beth had been lying on her bed, concentrating solely on her breathing, for what felt like hours. Then she'd started to think again, trying not to let everything flood her mind at once, because she didn't think she could remain sane any other way.

So Shelby was not her biological mother. Did that mean she was not her Mum?

_She raised me. She _loves _me._

Beth wanted to believe that. Why should anyone adopt a child if he didn't want one? But then again, the thought of adoption felt so strange, even in her mind.

_Shelby adopted me. She is not my mother, not when it comes to blood. But she _is _my Mum._

_I wonder whether it was my mother or my father I reminded her of yesterday. Or both._

"Quinn Fabray and Noah Puckerman." Beth said in a numb voice. The names didn't mean anything to her, but these were the names Shelby had given her. These were the names of her parents.

She didn't exactly know why she did what she did when she walked over to her laptop and typed the two names in a search engine. Sure enough, she found something. It was an article about the New Directions from McKinley High about thirteen years ago. She clicked the link and read:

McKinley High's glee club takes Nationals for the first time since 1993

Below the headline and a short paragraph there was a picture of the New Directions of 2012, with all of their names written underneath it. Quinn Fabray and Noah Puckerman were amongst them.

She recognized Rachel immediately and felt a weird twist in her gut when she thought that Rachel, unlike her, was really Shelby's daughter. _Maybe all I am is a replacement for the child she gave up._

She tried to push that thought away as she attempted to identify who might be Quinn Fabray and Noah Puckerman.

Rachel was wrapped in the arms of a really tall guy she'd definitely ask her half-sister – who was not technically her half-sister, Beth realized, but tried not to let this thought shake her up again – some questions about later. There were two boys hugging each other and grinning into the camera like crazy: one of them looked really cute and pale and breakable, as if he was made of porcelain, the other one had a grin on his face that really screamed dork at her.

Beth smiled at the thought, wanting to believe that the numbness that had been lying on her like a thick blanket ever since Shelby had broken the fifteen-year-old news to her would fade if she kept thinking funny things like that and generally looking on the bright side. That thought, again, had her hum the song from the classic Monty Python movie _The Life Of Brian._Well, maybe it worked.

Then there were some girls that really seemed unlikely to be her biological mother: a black girl with a diva attitude that practically seeped out of the picture, a Latina that looked kinda badass and a cute Asian girl who was being held in the arms of an Asian boy.

That left three white girls. One of them was a brunette sitting on the lap of a boy in a wheelchair. The other two were blondes. One of them, a really tall and slim girl, held hands with the Latina. The last one was rather normal in size, but definitely strikingly beautiful. She stood next to a guy whose dreads almost seemed to reach the floor.

To Beth, each of them could have been Quinn Fabray.

_So does that mean my Dad is either in a wheelchair or a hippie?_

Apart from the hugging boys, the wheelchair guy, the Asian boy, the tall guy who probably had been Rachel's boyfriend and the hippie (which had Beth giggle, even though it might be a shallow and unfair description), there were a boy with brown hair who seemed to melt into the background, a blonde guy with an abnormally large mouth and a well-tanned guy with a mohawk.

Beth would have gone for the blonde one, but he seemed to be involved with the black diva. As for the other ones, she did not know.

_Might as well ask her._, she thought with a sigh, stood up and carried the laptop to the living room where she knew she'd find her mother. Shelby always watched DVD productions of Broadway musicals when she was depressed or nervous or anxious …

"I found a picture." Beth said in a matter-of-fact voice and sat down next to Shelby, leaving a lot of space between them, though. She put the laptop down on the table in front of them, turning it so that her Mum could get a clear look at the screen. "Who are they?"

Her Mum straightened up from the crumpled position she'd been half-sitting, half-lying in and pressed a button on the remote control of the TV. Instantly, the screen went black. Then she studied the photo, and a smile tucked at the corners of her lips.

"What is it?" Beth asked.

"I was a teacher at that school back then. I knew all of those kids." Shelby said as if she was lost in good old times.

_Yeah, and one of them was your daughter._ A part of Beth's mind whispered, but she didn't voice the thought. Instead, she repeated her initial question. "So, who of them are my biological parents?"

Shelby pointed at the petite blonde Beth had noticed as strikingly beautiful before. "This is Quinn. And Noah is …" She trailed off, searching the picture. "..over there." Shelby finished the sentence, pointing at the guy with the mohawk.

"A mohawk? Seriously, that's my dad?" Was the first thing that came to Beth's mind, and, naturally, she blurted out the thought.

"Yes, that's your biological dad." Shelby confirmed, clearly trying to keep the conversation as calm as possible. "He did babysit you a couple of times back in the day, you know, but that contact faded when he took off to go to college."

Beth swallowed. "Could I contact them now, if I wanted to? I mean, do you have an address or a phone number or something?"

Shelby nodded. "I have their addresses. I've been sending them pictures of you every month." She paused. "Do you want to write them?"

"No. Yes. I don't know."

Shelby reached out and put her hand on Beth's shoulder, feeling incredibly like a Mum. Automatically, Beth leaned into her. "That's not a decision you have to make right now, you now. They won't go away."

Beth let her Mum – for that was what Shelby was – pull her into a hug and let herself take comfort from the touch.

That evening, she sat in front of her desk, trying to start a letter that was incredibly difficult to write.

_What will they think? Will they even want me in their lives?_

_Well, soon I'll know._

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___So, that's it for now. If you enjoyed the first chapter and want to read more, please press the story alert button. If you don't have an account on this site, you can also follow me on twitter (teebs_teebs) or add me on facebook (Teebs SingerWriter) where I will post a tweet/status update whenever I add a new chapter and/or story.  
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_Want to spill your ideas on this chapter?  
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	2. Help From A NonSister

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, ****glee, any of the character or songs mentioned in this story.**_  
_

* * *

_Note: Reviews always guilt me into writing more. Plus, I really like to hear all of your thoughts and on my stories and your guesses on how they may progress, whether they are accurate or not.  
_

_One last thing: As you may notice, English is not my first language. So, if you find any grave errors in my stories, especially ones I make regularly, I'd be glad if you informed me so I don't do it again.  
_

_So, now go read and, hopefully, enjoy!_

* * *

**Of Mothers And Mums**

**- Chapter 2 -  
**

**Help From A (Non-)Sister  
**

Instead of re-reading the letter for the hundredth time, Beth got up from her desk with a heavy sigh and rubbed her temples. She had a killer headache from trying to rephrase sentences over and over until they sounded right. The problem was that they just couldn't sound _right_.

Hell, she didn't even know what to call them. Were "Miss Fabray" and "Mr. Puckerman" adequate? Or should she already start using "mother" and "father" or even "mum" and "dad"?

But she couldn't call these strangers that. She already had a "Mum", even though Shelby was not her biological mother – a fact that she still didn't want to acknowledge and that still made her head hurt even worse when she only tried to make sense of it.

No. She would stop contemplating that letter right now. It would still be there tomorrow. There was no way she could deal with it right now, and she shouldn't force herself to.

So she let herself drop on her bed and blindly felt for the cell phone she'd carelessly dropped on her bedside table hours before. She had some text messages, mainly from her ND teammates, but she was too worn out to even read them, let alone answer them. They would have to wait until tomorrow.

Beth was up to something entirely different. Before she knew what she was doing or why she was doing it, she punched in Rachel's number and held her breath while the phone rang. Although she knew that calling the person that she had supposed to be her half-sister for some years, and she now knew to be Shelby's _only _biological daughter, would quite probably be upsetting, she needed to talk to her. The urge to call her had simply been stronger than the fear of it.

"Hey, you're finally calling. Took you long enough!" Rachel answered the phone cheerfully and Beth froze immediately. _Was she in on it all along? Did she know Shelby was going to tell me tonight? But Shelby didn't know herself. _The voice in her mind reasoned.

"Beth?" Rachel asked after Beth had remained silent for a suspiciously long period of time.

"What – why should I've called you?" Beth finally blurted, not caring if she was giving away that she was as upset as she was. She was going to tell Rachel anyway.

"Sectionals. I already talked to Mr. Schue. I thought you wanted to inform me." Rachel's voice had gone from cheerful to sober. She had obviously noticed the strange tone of Beth's voice, and wasted no time to find out what was going on. "Beth, what's up?"

Beth let out a long breath, before she answered as calmly as she could. "Shelby told me about my parents tonight."

There was a brief silence, and when Rachel finally started talking, Beth realized that she wanted to pick her words carefully, that she didn't want to break anything to her that Shelby might not have told her yet. "Just what exactly did she tell you?"

"Everything, I suppose." Beth closed her eyes and said the next sentences in a rush, as if speed would make it any less true. "That she isn't my biological Mum. That my real parents are called Quinn Fabray and Noah Puckerman, that she was a teen and gave me up for adoption … wait, you knew them, right?" Beth felt like a complete moron that she hadn't realized it before. Of course Rachel had known them. They had been on the same damn Nationals-victory picture.

"Yeah, I was in glee club with them." Rachel confirmed. "I still know them, actually. Quinn is still my friend, and I see Noah sometimes, too. You know, class reunions and so on."

"Are they together?" The question passed her lips before she'd consciously decided on asking it, and she asked herself why of all things that was the first thing she wondered about.

"No, they are not. Quinn is engaged and Noah … well, he has always enjoyed single life."

Beth took a deep breath as she savored that first bit of information she got about her biological parents' personal life.

"Can you please just tell me about them?" She pleaded her sister. "It's just … I feel like there's a blank page that needs to be filled, if that makes any sense."

"It makes perfect sense, Beth. That was pretty much how I felt about Shelby before I had met her." Rachel reassured her, and Beth could have kicked herself. How could she have forgotten that Rachel had gone through a similar situation before?

Similar, yes, but not the same. Growing up with two dads, it couldn't have been a secret that there must be a mother out there somewhere.

"What do you want to know?" Rachel asked.

"Just … everything. Tell me just whatever you can think of."

"Alright then." Beth thought she could hear Rachel's smile through the phone.

Half an hour later, Beth knew that Quinn had been the most popular girl in High School, that she'd been head cheerleader, dated the quarterback … and that everything changed when she'd got pregnant, not from her boyfriend but his best friend and the entire school found out. Rachel said the pregnancy had actually changed her for the better, making her a more considerate person – although she had still been manipulative and bitchy at times. After High School, her mother went on to Yale and graduated from there. She was an actress now, not in the big movies – at least not yet – but had worked her way up from local theatres to bigger stage productions. And she had gotten back together with her first High School boyfriend, the quarterback Finn Hudson, whom she was now engaged to.

Her father, Noah, had, according to Rachel, been a "badass" in High School, and even gotten into juvie once. But he'd cared about his daughter. He had _named _her Beth, after the song by KISS; he'd often babysitted her when Shelby got back to Lima in Quinn and Puck's senior year. When Rachel mentioned that he played the guitar, something clicked in Beth's head and she could finally make sense of the memories about the guitar-playing, singing man she had from her early childhood. Noah was now a member of a band, making a living from rather small performances in bars, hotels and such.

"Do you want me to give you their phone numbers? Or should I call them for you?" Rachel offered.

"No!" Beth reacted stronger than she'd intended. "I mean, don't call them. Don't tell them that I know. I want to make that contact by myself." She explained. "I'm trying to write a letter, you know." She added. "But you can give me their phone numbers, it surely doesn't hurt."

After she'd noted down the numbers, she had to ask one last thing. She just had to.

"How did you … deal with the, well … the biological and non-biological parents issue?" Beth asked.

She heard Rachel sigh at the other end of the line. "It wasn't easy, that's for sure. By the way, I still don't know which one of my dads is my biological one." She added. "I guess you just have to remember that the person who raised you is an important piece of your life. You have always loved Shelby, why should that change with a piece of knowledge? And Quinn and Noah can also become important parts of your life. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. But I can't help you to figure out what roles you want them to have in your life. You have to do that on your own." Rachel concluded, and Beth realized that her sister had probably given her the best advice she could. She thanked her and hung up, getting up and going back to the letter she had attempted to write earlier.

As it turned out, it was much easier to write it now that she could imagine what the people behind these names must be like. Quinn Fabray, former head cheerleader, actress. Noah Puckerman, bad boy, band member. Biological mother and biological father.


	3. The Letter

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, glee, any of the characters and songs mentioned in this story.**

* * *

_Same as always: Please watch out for any errors someone whose first language is not English might make and tell me if you find some. _**  
**

_Also, I would love it if you reviewed and told me how you liked this chapter.  
_

* * *

**Of Mothers And Mums**_  
_

**- Chapter 3 -  
**

**The Letter  
**

She had slept in that day, knowing that she did not have to go anywhere until rehearsal at two in the afternoon. When she finally woke up and snuck a glance at the alarm clock, it was already 10:17 am. She tucked at the blanket lazily, contemplating whether or not she should stay in bed a little longer, but in the end sat up, felt for the t-shirt that must be lying somewhere on the floor, put it on and, with a yawn, finally got up on her feet. The sunlight fell through the high window and seeped through the white curtains, half-illuminating the room. She smiled, thinking that this was one of the things she had been looking forward to after they had finally made the decision to come to L.A. After all, this city had 300 to 320 sunny days a year.

Finn was already gone, of course. He currently worked as an auto mechanic at a garage about half an hour on foot from the tiny but beautiful apartment the two of them shared. She yawned again, had a stretch and then made her way to the combined kitchen and living room where they loved to have breakfast together – on the few days they had the opportunity to do so. She already smelled the coffee he had made and thus walked directly over to the counter and poured herself a cup of the now lukewarm drink. Holding the cup in both hands, she turned around and leaned against the counter, taking a sip of coffee every now and then and letting her eyes wander across the room.

The furniture was sparse. They did have a TV, standing on a low table made from some kind of dark wood, offering a beautiful contrast to the rather bright laminate floor. Some of that floor, the part in between the TV and the bright red leather sofa they had seemed to be saving up for forever, was covered by a soft dark brown rug that was almost the color of the TV table. The kitchenette, against the counter of which she was currently leaning, was as red as the sofa, topped with a plain white work surface. Apart from that, the last pieces of furniture remaining were a wooden table, matching the TV table and the rug in its color, with six white chairs with high backrests.

Until Kurt had visited his step-brother recently, exchanging New York for a brief impression of L.A., they hadn't had a single piece of artwork on the plain white walls. Kurt, however, had insisted that they at least cover the wall behind the sofa with wallpaper he himself had picked, following the color patterns of the room: It showed bright red flowers on dark brown stems – though it wasn't exactly the same color as TV table, dining table and rug, a fact about which Kurt had complained heavily – on a white background. Quinn had come to love it.

She had just put the coffee mug in the kitchen sink, decided o get her script for the play she would be starring in soon in order to reread the text and make sure she hadn't forgotten any of the lines – it was a stage production of the drama _Intrigue and Love, _written by German author Friedrich Schiller, in which she had landed the lead – when her eyes first fell on the letter. Whether it was out of intuition or simply curiosity she did not know, but she reached out for the light blue envelope that was lying on the dining table – Finn always got the mail in the morning – the moment she saw it. Her address was written on it in a neat, curved handwriting. There was no sender's address.

She opened the letter as she walked over to the sofa and collapsed onto it. There were three pages, all written in the same curved handwriting. Quinn turned to the last page, scanning it for a signature, and gasped. The letter was signed by _Beth Corcoran. _

Beth.

She closed her eyes and thought of the girl she had only known as a toddler, the beautiful, chubby girl with her own blonde hair and Puck's hazel eyes. It had hurt so much when Shelby had decided to not make them a part of her adoptive daughter's life, reversing her earlier decision to let them watch Beth growing up. It had been strange, always knowing that there was a part of her out there, a part of her she could not reach.

She still had the photographs, though. Every month, both she and Puck received a photo of their biological daughter sent by Shelby. Quinn kept all of them in a shoe box in her part of the wardrobe.

Four-year-old Beth in the sandbox, a flowered hat on her big head, building something that was probably meant to resemble a castle. Five-year-old Beth jumping on a trampoline. Six-year-old Beth on Halloween, covered in green paint, wearing a black hat and dress, with a note from Shelby reading _She's always loved the music to Wicked. _ Seven-year-old Beth, spooning up the largest ice-cream-sundae Quinn had ever seen. Eight-year-old Beth, lying in a hammock in the garden behind Shelby's house, sleeping. Nine-year-old Beth struggling with her homework. Ten-year-old Beth on Broadway, enjoying the trip to New York Shelby had taken her on, grinning from ear to ear. Eleven-year-old Beth singing to some karaoke game, clasping the black plastic microphone, dancing around in the living room. Twelve-year-old Beth after her first experiments with make-up. Thirteen-year-old Beth in front of the cinema, hugging a red-haired girl. Fourteen-year-old Beth on the day of her birthday, surrounded by her friends and Shelby's family, blowing the candles a giant cake was covered in out.

Fifteen-year-old Beth had written this letter.

Quinn forced herself to breathe slowly, to calm down, relax. Her daughter, the girl she had given birth to, had written to her. She wanted to dance through the living room, open all the windows and scream her joy out to her neighbors. At the same time, she was trembling with fear and insecurity. What if the letter was loaded with accusations? What if …

_Just. Read. It._

Right. She took one last, calming breath, went back to the first page and started to read.

_Dear Quinn Fabray, dear Noah Puckerman,_

_Please let me explain why I write this letter all of a sudden. The truth is, I couldn't have done it earlier. Yesterday, I did not even know your names or that you even existed, let alone the part of my life the both of you are. My Mum, Shelby, has told me about you tonight. I know that you are my biological mother and father, that I am the product of a teen pregnancy, and that you gave me up for adoption. She said that you were aware of the fact that you could not raise a child at your age and did it for both my and your own good, but I would like to hear that from you, too. _

_You are my biological parents, and I would love some sort of contact with you. After Shelby told me about you, she helped me identify the both of you on a photo after your victory at Nationals with the New Directions. So I only know what you looked like in High School, and I can only make up an image of what you look like now from that._

_Apart from that, everything I know about you, I know from Rachel (please don't be mad at her for not telling you I was going to write, I told her not to)._

_Quinn, I know that you are an actress, that you live in L.A., that you mainly work on stage productions. I know that you are engaged to Finn Hudson who was your High School boyfriend. And I know just about everything you did in High School from Rachel: that you were head cheerleader and popular, but also in glee club which, apparently, was the lamest thing ever? (Which isn't the case anymore, by the way.)_

_Noah, what I know about you is that you were quite a bad boy in High School. I know that you play the guitar, and that you make a living from playing in a band now (which sounds incredibly cool.) I know that you were on the football team and, also, in glee club. _

_That's everything, and it seems like so little to me. Once again: You are my biological parents, you are a part of me and should be a part of my life. I want to know everything about you, not just some random tiny bits of information. And I want to hear everything from you._

_I hope you're curious about me, too. I know that Shelby has sent you a picture of me every month, but I don't know how much more she has told you, so:_

_I am currently a freshman in William McKinley High School. I have joined the New Directions (still run by Mr. Shue, who is my favorite teacher ever), and we have won Sectionals just yesterday. _

_I love to perform. I am also a part of a theatre group that has formed in our neighborhood, but have only played small parts so far. Our educator says I am talented, though. _

_I have played the piano since I was six years old and the guitar since I was eight. _

_I take dancing lessons in a ballet studio that is just around the corner._

_I am best friends with a girl named Zoey. She has an amazing voice; we are in glee club together. She's in many of my classes and we spend a lot of time together out of school, too._

_Before you ask: No, I do not have a boyfriend. _

_No pets either, although I am in love with just about every fluffy, furry animal. I have convinced our neighbor to let me walk his dog – a beautiful crème-colored mongrel – every Sunday, though._

_That's all I can think of right now. You can ask me all the questions you want. My e-mail address is on the backside of this sheet (I would have given you my cell phone number, but I think I would have an emotional breakdown if you called, so let's start with e-mails). _

_Love,_

_Beth Corcoran_

As soon as she'd read, and re-read, and then re-read the letter again, Quinn jumped up from the sofa, ran into the bedroom and grabbed her phone. She quickly dialed his number and waited impatiently for him to finally pick up.

"Quinn?" He sounded sleepy, but his voice was as deep and rich as always.

"Puck, have you already got the mail today?" She asked, speaking so fast that she almost got into a muddle.

"No, I haven't. Man, I wouldn't even have woken up hadn't you called." He complained, clearly oblivious to the urgency in her tone.

"Puck, I mean it. Get your ass out of bed and go to the letterbox right now." She told him commandingly, silently cursing his rock star lifestyle – by which she meant getting wasted at least five evenings a week and sleeping until noon the day after that, even when he and his "band" had a concert to get ready for. If it wasn't for Beth, she would have long broke relations with the wreck Puck had become. But their daughter, although they had not raised her or had any kind of responsibility for her whatsoever, was like an invisible link between them.

"What the hell - is this some kind of game, Fabray?" He said, sounding a lot more awake than he had before. So he had found the letter.

"Just read it, Puck." She said, exasperation evident in her voice. However, she waited patiently as she heard paper being torn at the other end of the line and Puck flicking through the pages.

"Beth." He breathed after some minutes, sounding as soft and vulnerable as she had ever heard him.

"Yes, Beth." She confirmed.

He took a deep breath. "So, what are we going to do?"

* * *

_- "Intrigue and Love" (Kabale und Liebe) is a drama I had to read in school at some point - and really liked, so I thought I'd mention it.  
_

_- Please review!  
_


	4. The Lionskulls

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, glee, any of the characters or songs mentioned in this story.**

* * *

_So, I'm back. As you may have noticed, the last chapter was dedicated to outlining Quinn's life, and this one consequently gives an insight into Puck's. More Beth in the next chapter, I promise. _

_Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and/or favorited so far. What would I be without you as my readership?_

_As always, please tell me about any mistakes in my English so I can improve. Also, review. _

* * *

**Of Mothers And Mums**

**- Chapter 4 –**

**The Lionskulls**

_Noah, what I know about you is that you were quite a bad boy in High School. I know that you play the guitar, and that you make a living from playing in a band now (which sounds incredibly cool). I know that you were on the football team and, also, in glee club._

Even long after he had finished re-reading the letter for the gazillionth time and stored it safely on the bottom of his worn-out suitcase – directly next to the huge brown envelope in which he kept all of the photos he had Shelby send to the address of a friend in L.A. who would then send them on to wherever he was staying at the time – and covered both, the photos and the three pages of thick, blue stationery Beth had chosen to write her life-changing letter on in her neat, curved handwriting, with the few pieces of clothing he considered sufficiently clean, the words echoed in his head.

This was it. This was all she knew about him. Bad boy, guitarist, band member, football player, glee clubber.

He thanked whatever god – or gods – might be up there that this was everything Rachel had given her. It certainly was a very bright description of his life, compared to what it was like in reality. But then again, Berry had always been oblivious to the darker sides of life. She clearly hadn't told his daughter any specifics about the way he lived his, especially if Beth still thought that his playing in a band sounded "incredibly cool". He had convinced Quinn not to tell Beth any of the darker details of his life as well, because there was no way he could talk the girl into waiting with contacting their daughter until he was ready – and she had agreed. He didn't know if she did that because she wanted to do him a favor or because she believed Beth should not learn about Puck's lifestyle in … well, ever; and he liked to think that she didn't know as well. He'd always known that they were bound together, because of their history, because of Beth. He didn't want to be the only one who still felt something for the other part of this strange relationship.

They all knew – Quinn, Berry, even him – that, at some point, he'd cracked. He almost wouldn't have graduated, and studying for that one geography quiz in senior year ultimately hadn't changed his personality or influenced the road he had traveled on. Yeah, he'd tried to maintain the façade a little longer, had even enrolled in college – but it hadn't been long before he'd dropped out and, for the first time in his life, really hit rock bottom. He'd had no money, no job and no directions as to what to do with his life whatsoever.

He had then put his original plan into motion – going to L.A. and setting up a pool cleaning business. But, quite frankly, the money he could make that way had seemed a lot more when he had still been in High School and there had been no need for him to cover a rent or the phone bill, or pay for food and clothes and a car all by himself. He _managed_ back then, and considered himself lucky when Brad came along.

They had met in the bar he came to regularly in these days, his only aim to get wasted on the cheapest alcohol they offered in order to drown out the world on the bottom of which he had landed, and gotten into the deepest conversation Puck had had in months. At some point, Puck had let slip that he played the guitar – he was pretty sure by now that Brad had fed that line to him – and the other guy had recruited him to join his band - _The Lionskulls _- from the spot. As it turned out, the former guitarist's parents had just had saved up enough money to put their son into rehab, but Puck learned about that a lot later.

He had travelled around with the boys ever since, sleeping in cheap motels or, when they didn't find one or had no money to spare, in the old tents they kept in the rusty transporter – along with their instruments, the entire band equipment and everything else they owned – which, granted, wasn't much. Puck had soon realized that this band would have dissolved a long time ago if Brad, who was the drummer and the driving force of the group, hadn't always found a way to miraculously discover people to recruit who'd replace whichever band member had just dropped out. Puck had seen many singers, keyboarders and bass players come and go, and when the last singer quit and Brad couldn't find a new one fast enough for their next gig, Puck was awarded the honor – a temporary solution at first, but his "promotion" to combined lead guitarist and singer soon became permanent.

He knew that Brad would probably never admit that _The Lionskulls _were merely mediocre and would never have a big breakthrough, and he surely wouldn't be the one to break that truth to the drummer. As long as he stayed on this band, he could at least take care of himself and wouldn't have to wind up on his mother's doorstep.

"Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing over there?" He heard Jill purr, and only then realized that he still knelt next to the suitcase, unable to take his eyes from the spot where he knew the pictures and the letter were hidden beneath his clothes. As he turned around, his eyes fell onto the blonde girl lying in his bed who obviously wanted him to pick up from where he'd stopped last night. Very unlike him, he didn't feel like it.

"Nothing." He stated in a strong voice that allowed no further questioning.

"Alright, alright! Calm down, Puckzilla." She said flirtatiously, obviously not giving up yet.

And all of a sudden he was disgusted. He was disgusted with this woman lying in his bed, he was disgusted with the kind of relationship they had: a merely physical one, temporarily soothing and easing the loneliness in their hearts, but never entirely erasing it; a relationship they both knew was bound to end as soon as Brad decided it was time for _The Lionskulls _to move on.

No, he was being unfair. He was disgusted. But it wasn't Jill's fault. She was just a part of the whole.

Lastly, most importantly, he was disgusted with the life he was living.

"Why don't you go and have a shower, darling?" He suggested, trying to match the flirty tone she had used. He watched as Jill climbed out of the bed, blanket wrapped tightly around her chubby body, and disappeared into the bathroom.

_It's Beth. _He thought. Because eventually, ultimately, it was always Beth. She was the only person he had ever really attempted to get his life together for, and that had been when he had still been in High School, a sophomore, a teenaged boy driven by nothing but his hormones. He had really tried, tried to make a living, to build a foundation for the idea of a family formed by him and Quinn and the child growing inside her whose name, or even gender, he had not known back then. Granted, he had screwed up royally and ended up pushing Quinn away from him, ruining his chances of making his fever dream of starting a family with her. But he'd tried. For Beth, he'd tried. And for her, he was gonna try again.

As soon as he heard water splashing down through the thin wooden door that separated the bathroom from the main room, he grabbed all the stuff he could find and threw it into the suitcase, creating a jumbled pile of clothing, CDs, books (yes, he did own some) and some half-empty packages of different snacks. As soon as he'd forced it closed, and scribbled a quick note that said nothing but "I'm leaving." for both Jill's and Brad's sake – he had no doubt they would both move on without him, he had been a part of the eternal circle that were _The Lionskulls _for long enough to be sure of that - he got out of the room that suddenly seemed so suffocating as fast as he could, wanting to smash the door shut behind him, but, as he knew better, closed it as silently as possible.

He knew he wasn't far from the train station – these motels never seemed to be – but in this particular case he knew for sure because they'd played a gig at a pub that was directly next to it just a few days ago. He walked there, dragging his heavy suitcase behind him. From the last of his money he bought a ticket to Lima, Ohio, and, on the entire ride, thought about how his life was turning upside down once again because of her.

* * *

_Oh, come on. I know you wanna review. You're just shy, but you don't have to be. Just do it. You'll feel better after. I promise!_


	5. Jealousy

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own glee, any of the characters or songs mentioned in this story.**

* * *

_Hey, guys! I'm really sorry. It's been a while since I last updated, but I have an excuse: I just got accepted into the university of my dreams and had to drive there to get all the formalities over with, and currently spend a lot of time looking for somewhere to live there. Also, I had a huge writer's block on this story and therefore it was a lot easier to continue my other multi-chapter story whenever I sat down in front of my laptop. _**  
**

_It's only now that I feel so guilty I can't postpone updating this anymore. I just had to write something for you guys, and, quite honestly, I don't think there's anything worse than a discontinued story.  
_

_I'm afraid this chapter is not as good as the previous ones, but it'll keep the story rolling.  
_

* * *

**Of Mothers And Mums**_  
_

**- Chapter 5 -  
**

**Jealousy  
**

Ever since she had sent the letter, she had woken up half an hour earlier than usual every morning just to check her e-mails. When she had none, or at least not the one she desired, she would lean back in her chair, exhausted and disappointed, contemplating whether she really had chosen the right words over and over again. What if she hadn't? What if she had screwed up her possibly only chance of contacting her biological parents? What if they weren't interested?

Her Mum had noticed the difference in Beth's behavior, the almost violent mood swings, and she had of course known the reasons. She had reassured her adoptive daughter that she was certain Quinn and Noah would want to contact her and that she didn't need to worry. Shelby seemed so convinced of the fact that they would eventually write her that she really managed to calm Beth down time and time again, but these calm moments rarely lasted and a few hours later, the teenager would be as restless as before. She got more anxious with every day that passed.

It wasn't until Thursday that she was finally relieved of her worries. She'd jumped out of bed the instant the alarm she'd set on her cell phone went off – after her phone call to Rachel, she'd downloaded the song "Beth" instantly, and was woken by it every morning from then on. She went straight to her desk, as she had done the days before, switched her computer on, opened her e-mail inbox and scanned its content eagerly. Unlike the previous days, however, she didn't slam her laptop shut in frustration after she'd completed the procedure.

Instead, her gaze rested on a single line that said she had a message from Quinn Fabray. She just stared at the screen, frozen, for what must have been several minutes. Then, as if she suddenly remembered that there must be a content to the message as well, her hand shot towards the touch pad and she clicked to open the e-mail, almost missing the right link in her excitement and accidentally opening the spam mail above instead. Almost.

The e-mail her biological mother had sent her opened and Beth started reading it aloud to herself, savoring every single word.

_Dear Beth,_

_You have no idea how grateful I was for the letter you sent. I don't even know how to express everything I feel for you, let alone convey it through an e-mail._

_You said that you wanted to hear the reasons I gave you up for adoption from me. What Shelby told you is essentially true: I was a teenager; I couldn't have raised a child back then. But, more importantly, I was a scared little girl whose life had been shaken upside down from one day to the other. I wanted my life back. I had been kicked out of the cheerios; people who used to part like the red sea when I walked down the hallways ignored me, or worse, started bullying me. I wouldn't have this happen to anyone._

_Don't get me wrong: I don't regret you. I'm sure Rachel has told you that my pregnancy has changed me for the better, she always does that. And, in a way, she's right. Without knowing it, you have changed me. I could be terrible in high school; I probably was one of the bitchiest girls around. (Rachel has told you that, too, hasn't she?) Being pregnant with you made me realize how fragile my position as the most popular girl in school was, and that very few of the people I'd believed to be my friends really liked me for who I am. They were very quick to abandon me after I "fell". That way, I found some real friends, and I believe I became a better person. _

_I'm telling you that so you can see how much you influenced me already. I do not, and did not ever, regret giving you to Shelby, though. I'm sure she has been an amazing Mum to you, and while I had small doubts about my decision every now and then, especially when I was still in High School, I know that it was ultimately the right thing to do. _

_I missed you nevertheless, throughout all the years. Knowing that there's a piece of you, of your life out there, a piece that you can't reach … _

_That's why I'm so glad you reached out to me now. I have already talked to Rachel, and I now she has given you my phone number. Feel free to call me anytime you want to, I would love to hear your voice – my schedule is ever changing, I can't tell you today at what times I have to be at the theatre next week, so I guess you just have to give it a try if you feel like it. If you're not ready for that yet, you can of course simply write an answer to this e-mail, too._

_What I would love even more is to meet you in person. Sadly, I don't think I will get an opportunity to visit Lima in the next few months. That's why I would like to make a suggestion: If you want to, you and Shelby can visit me in L.A. as soon as you feel ready to do that. I don't want to pressure you into anything; the decision is up to you. _

_Love,_

_Quinn_

Beth found herself racing into the kitchen where she knew her Mum would have her obligatory morning coffee. She practically crashed through the door and found Shelby leaning against the counter, a knowing smile on her lips. "So they wrote?" Beth's Mum asked without really expecting an answer.

"No, not they …" Beth paused, contemplating why it was only Quinn and not Noah, but refused to let that drag her down right now. "_She _wrote." She corrected Shelby's question, grinning widely.

"What did she say?" Shelby asked, putting her coffee mug down next to her.

"Basically that she loves me, misses me, and wants to have contact with me." Beth blurted out. "At least that was what I took from her words. Oh, and she suggested that I could visit her in L.A. someday." She knew that she was sounding like an overexcited five-year-old who had just discovered the most magnificent sweet store in the world where she got everything for free. But then again, that pretty much summed up how she felt, too.

She watched her Mum wring her hands in a nervous gesture. "Don't you think it's a little too early for that?"

"Well, it doesn't have to be right away." Beth defended. "And I'd sure like to meet her … someday." She added, thinking about how she had even been too scared to call them right away and written a letter instead.

Shelby's face instantly settled back into a relaxed expression, but Beth had noticed how upset she had been at the mention of her visiting L.A. _She's nervous. Huh. _

"She invited the both of us, you know." Beth said calmly. "Not just me."

Shelby nodded. "I think that's for the best. I wouldn't want you to be on your own in a city like that even if your … your mother is there." The last words sounded a little too forced, and when Shelby's eyes met Beth's with a look that was full of doubt, she understood.

_So that's what this is all about. She thinks that Quinn is some kind of competition to her._

"You know that I love you, don't you?" Beth said out of nowhere. "You raised me, you have been the most important part of my life for as long as I can remember. There's no one in the world who can compete with that." She finished with a genuine smile, which, as she hoped, would convince Shelby that she had nothing to worry about.

"I know." But the smile on her Mum's face lasted a little to short and failed to reach her eyes.

How the hell had this happened? How was it even possible that the woman who had raised you, your Mum, was jealous of another woman you didn't even know yet?

_God, this would be the perfect material for a bad sitcom. _Beth thought, not willing to contemplate the situation she had gotten herself into – no, she had been dragged into – right now.

"I'm already late." Beth stated, glancing at the clock that hang above the kitchen door. "I'd better get into the shower."

* * *

"Did your dads ever get upset?" Beth asked. She'd called Rachel as soon as she had gotten home, knowing that Shelby would probably still be at some other house teaching vocal lessons. There was no way her Mum could overhear this conversation.

"Of course they did. They got upset when I stayed out late, when I sang in the shower until our neighbors threatened to sue our asses, or when I got engaged at the age of eighteen, just to name a few. I don't think any of this is what you are talking about."

"No, it's not. But I know what you mean by singing until your neighbors threaten to sue you part. And you had your own house. We just have an apartment in a house full of apartments with plenty of neighbors to complain." Beth couldn't help but smile. "I was talking about something different though." She said, returning to the serious topic she wanted to approach as she sat down on her bed and leaned back against the headboard. "What I wanted to ask is if they ever got upset after you got to know Shelby. In a jealous kind of way."

Rachel remained silent for some time on the other end of the line. "I don't think they did." She finally said. "But the whole thing is kind of different."

"In how far?"

"Well, I first met Shelby in my sophomore year when she was the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, a neighboring rival glee club. She was looking for me then, but she also had a contract with my dads that prohibited her to contact me before I turned eighteen. So she sort of made me contact her without talking to me herself." The tone in Rachel's voice kept Beth from asking how her mother had managed to do that, although she was fairly curious. Instead, she let Rachel continue, "When I found her, we tried to establish some kind of mother-daughter-relationship, but failed miserably. I think she was just disappointed that I wasn't her baby anymore."

Beth took in a deep breath as she remembered that that was about the time she had been adopted by Shelby. _She used me to replace Rachel. The baby she'd lost.  
_

The older girl was obviously oblivious to the turmoil that was going on inside of Beth, because she continued to talk without the slightest pause.

"So we parted ways then, and there was nothing to be jealous about for my dads. She then came back in my senior year as a teacher at my school. All I was concerned with back then was getting into NYADA, and she helped me a lot with that, seeing that she had experience with auditions and New York. That was the first time we really clicked. After I'd taken off to New York, we spoke to each other on the phone almost every day. She had already taken all the steps that lay in front of me back then, and helped me take them as well. Our lives were so similar that we got really close just through that."

"And were your dads jealous when that happened?" Beth asked after Rachel had finished.

"I don't think so. If so, they never showed any of it." Rachel laughed. "It's not like Shelby could fill a typical mother's role after I'd graduated. She was like an educator whom I got really close to, and later, a good friend. On top of that, I didn't already have a Mum whom she had to compete with." Rachel added, half-joking.

_If only you knew that this is the exact problem here. _Beth thought, but kept her mouth shut. As she had done before, the night Beth had learned about her biological parents, Rachel had let her a lot deeper into her personal life than could be expected, and she was to be grateful for that.

"Thanks for the advice, Rach." Beth said honestly.

"No problem." Rachel answered. "Anyways, since were already talking, I thought you might be interested that I'll be visiting next week."

"Visiting?" Beth echoed, shocked. "But Mum didn't say anything …"

"No, not at your place. Mr. Shue invited me to come and help him a little with the New Directions. Motivate them, you now. I haven't told Shelby yet, but I'm sure I'll come over to your place to have dinner or something, too. Then we can really talk about all the stuff that's going on in your life." Rachel said, and Beth hated the sound of the words. She knew Rachel wanted to be helpful, but this was not what _she _wanted. She didn't want Shelby's biological daughter around. Not now that she knew.

"Sounds great." Beth lied. "Bye." She hang up without waiting for Rachel's voice to repeat the last word she'd said.

Apparently, she was the one to get jealous now. And there was no way she could help it.

* * *

_So, that's it for now. No, I haven't forgotten about Puck, but he's just not ready to contact Beth yet. While we're talking about him, I'd like to quote a review about Puck in the last chapter by "Ali" that almost had me crack up: "Aw, he acts like such a badass, but he's a big ol' softie on the inside. Like a container of play-doh. Think about it."  
_

_Hope all of you who actually took the time to read this author's note enjoyed it as much as I did. And now go review!  
_


	6. Unwanted Visitor

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own glee, any of the characters or songs appearing in this story.**

* * *

_Usual bla-bla: I'm not a native speaker, so please inform me about any mistakes of mine. _**  
**

_Plus, review. Hope you like this chapter better than the last, I think that, at least, it is not as bad.  
_

* * *

**Of** **Mothers And Mums**_  
_

**- Chapter 6 -  
**

**Unwanted Visitor  
**

"Hello? Who –"The woman was cut off when Beth ended the call all of a sudden, glancing down at the screen of her cell phone. 0:01. That was the duration of the call, such a tiny thing, and nevertheless it made her heart beat in her chest as if she had just cut the finish line after running a marathon. Not that she'd know what that felt like, but she imagined it to be like this. Only with more sweat involved, and a feeling of exhaustion, but contentment, too.

And now she was imagining all these stupid little details just to distract herself from what she had just done, and the consequences that came with it.

She swallowed and leaned back in her desk chair, yet she didn't relax for the fraction of a second. She just sat there, staring at the cell phone that lay on the desk in front of her as if it was some kind of time bomb that needed to be under constant supervision and might explode if she dared to take her eyes from it.

The woman didn't call back. Not in the first minute, and not in the ten minutes that followed while Beth remained sitting in her chair, not moving a millimeter, the only sound in the room the echoes of her heavy breathing.

Still, the phone did not ring.

Beth wasn't sure how she felt about it. She was relieved, really she was. She had absolutely no idea how she would have reacted if Quinn had called her back. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Or more than just a little.

_But she couldn't have known it was _me_. _Beth's inner voice reasoned. _She could just guess … Then again, who else would call her and hang up after merely a second …_

She took a deep breath and buried her face in her hands. She shouldn't have done it. Now, in hindsight, it seemed like the stupidest thing she could have done, but before … it had all seemed so logical.

Rachel would arrive tonight, and she would stop by their apartment to have dinner with Shelby and her, just like she had announced days ago on the phone. The moment Shelby had learned about Rachel's visit, her face had lit up, and she'd been in an upbeat mood ever since. It wasn't any different from the days before Rachel's previous visits, but this time watching Shelby get all excited about the visit of her daughter felt like a blow in the gut.

All the times before, they were both looking forward to it: Shelby because Rachel was her daughter; and Beth because Rachel was, supposedly, her half-sister. But she wasn't, she had never been and now that Beth _knew, _it was all different. This time, she watched Shelby prepare for the visit of her only _real _daughter, the only girl in the world that carried her genes, and that was all she could do. Watch. As if there was an invisible wall between her and her Mum, and Shelby was performing some kind of play behind it which Beth didn't quite understand because she was not informed about the background story.

She wanted to, however. She wanted to be in on all of the little details that made her Mum act as if she had found the guide to unconditional, blissful happiness. It was this urge to know that made her feeling of restlessness and uneasiness grow over the days, and it was this urge that had finally made her dial the number of her own biological mother.

But she couldn't go through with it. The moment she'd heard the woman's voice, her thumb had pressed the "end call"-button of its own accord. Still, she couldn't help but savor the two confused words Quinn Fabray had said. And the sound of her voice – warm, with a hint of huskiness. It sounded nice. _She_ sounded nice.

"Beth? Will you please set the table?" Shelby called from the kitchen where she'd been busily at work for the last two hours, preparing the perfect vegan dinner. Beth sighed and let herself slide off her chair, carefully making her way to the combined living and dining room. She took all the tableware she needed from the glass-fronted cabinet and made herself busy laying the table for Rachel, Shelby and her.

She had just finished when the bell rang and Shelby hurried from the kitchen to open the door. Beth followed a little behind, forcing herself to put on a poker face as she watched Shelby hugging Rachel and it became blatantly obvious how much the two of them looked alike. She even hugged Rachel back after the brunette diva had made her way past their Mum to wrap her arms around her little "sister", too, although she really didn't feel like it.

They sat down on the table and Shelby served her vegan mac and (non-dairy) cheese, and they all began to spoon up their pasta, which was, admittedly, delicious. The atmosphere, however, was strange, even though Rachel and Shelby soon fell into their usual chit-chat about Broadway pieces, especially the one's Rachel had recently been a part in, Rachel's colleagues and directors, many of which Shelby knew, too, and the Broadway legends one of them had met at some point.

Maybe it was only Beth who perceived the atmosphere as strange. Maybe Rachel and Shelby were as comfortable as they had always been around each other. Maybe she was the only one who felt different about Rachel's visit, because she was the only one whose relationships to the two women had irrevocably changed.

"So, why are you back in Lima this time, Rachel?" Shelby asked at some point.

"Oh, Will – I mean, Mr. Shue – invited me. Every once in a while, he invites one of the former glee club members who actually are successful in the performing arts to speak to the New Directions and show them that it is possible to achieve their dreams. So, while I don't always agree with his questionable teaching methods, I agreed to meet this particular request so I could come back and visit you at a time like this. I understand that quite a lot is changing, and since I have quite some experience with your situation, Beth, I came to help." Rachel finished her little speech, smiling compassionately.

_You shouldn't have come. _Beth's inner voice screamed, but she forced herself to stay silent about this thought and gave Rachel a fake smile instead.

"That's very considerate of you." Shelby answered when it became evident that Beth wouldn't speak. "Especially since you had nobody to help you through when … well …"

"When you told me we should _be thankful for each other from afar_?" Rachel ended the sentence for Shelby and Beth's Mum nodded, cheeks flashing bright red.

"That's what I meant."

Although she had already known that Shelby hadn't built a relationship with Rachel right away, actually hearing the two of them talk about it – something that must have been very hurtful for Rachel back in time and obviously still could flood Shelby with a strong feeling of guilt – made it much more real for Beth. She couldn't help the smug thought that back then, Shelby had chosen her over Rachel, even though Beth knew she'd feel awful for that later.

"I don't know if you can really help me." Beth finally joined the conversation. "I mean, what you went through is partly similar, but a big part of it is a whole lot different." She reasoned, not wanting to bluntly tell Rachel, who clearly had the best intentions, that she did not _want _her help.

"I – I do get that, but I could try." Rachel answered, noticeably startled by Beth's negative reaction to her offer. "Sometimes it's just good to have someone to talk to who understands, and I do understand."

"Maybe she's right, Beth. You could use someone to talk to other than me." Shelby added, and it took everything in Beth to not give her Mum a death glare right then. _Of course you would support your daughter._

"Okay, Beth, please just think about it. If you want to talk to me, we can go have some drinks together tomorrow after glee club and, well, just talk." Rachel offered.

"Yeah, I … I'll think about it." Beth answered indecisively and prayed that this would be the last word about the topic for this evening.

* * *

_The end for now. _

_The feedback for the last chapter was, well, almost non-existing. I guess this means you didn't like the last chap and it wasn't just me who thought it was pretty bad.  
So please let me know whether you still think this story is worth continuing.  
_

_On a different note: If you want to see this story continued, I could need some help from people living in the US. I've been trying to find information on the internet on when there are school vacations, but it's all been very confusing. So I'd be glad if some of you could tell me when there are vacations, so I can make Beth visit her parents at a time when it actually makes sense.  
_

_Of course you can also review on anything else ... like how you'd like it if I skipped back to Puck in the next chapter - if I write one.  
_


	7. Lima Loser

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, glee, any of its characters or any of the songs mentioned in this story.**

* * *

_Okay, this is a slightly shorter chapter, but I hope you like it nevertheless._**  
**

_A big thank you to everyone who sent me information about the vacation schedule in the US, that really helped for when I'm gonna make Beth visit Quinn.  
_

_As always, tell me about mistakes in my English, please.  
_

_And review. Just please review.  
_

* * *

**Of Mothers And Mums**_  
_

**- Chapter 7 -  
**

**Lima Loser  
**

Puck looked around the room. His old room. It still looked the same way it had when he had moved out of Lima back in the day. His Mum must have cleaned it regularly, though, because there was not one single speck of dust to be found on the furniture or the floor.

So here he was. He was thirty years old and back to living with his Mum, currently lying on his bed like a hurt little teen who'd just got dumped. A true Lima Loser.

He hated to think that Quinn had been right all these years ago when she had called him that and chosen Finn over him. But she had. Finn and she had made it to L.A., after all, and he was stuck back in Lima again. Looking at how his life had turned out, he could never have raised someone as precious as Beth.

How could his little girl ever be proud of a father like him?

"Why did you come back, then?" He spat out, feeling a kind of anger he hadn't felt for years surface. Yeah, he hadn't been angry at himself in a very long time. Not since he'd graduated, to be exact, after re-taking that memorable geography test. He had never really tried anything since then, and thus he had never failed. No need to get upset.

But now there was Beth, and he couldn't possibly go to her like this. She couldn't ever see him the way he was right now: a complete failure. He had no job, no money, and no life. So, somehow, he needed to acquire these three things before he could bear to look in her eyes.

There was a reason he had swallowed his pride and finally done what he'd successfully avoided all these past years: wind up on his mother's doorstep. He needed a base, somewhere where he could make plans; somewhere from where he could act.

He knew he needed a job first. A job was the key to everything else. Once he worked, he would be worth something. He would also earn money and find a place of his own. Once he would have moved out of his mother's house and regained his independence, once he would have a grip on his life, he would go to Beth.

So, a job. Cleaning pools wasn't an option; he'd learned that in L.A. There was no way to cover all the bills by doing that. Yet there weren't many other options for him, either. He had next to no education. Hell, he had barely graduated from High School. No one in their right minds would hire _him_.

"Noah, baby? There's someone here to talk to you." His Mother had burst into his room without him even noticing, and he jumped, sitting up on his bed.

"God, Mum! I'm 30 years old. I am not your _baby._" He spat towards her exasperatedly, before he laid eyes on the person that had entered the room behind her. "Oh, god, no!"

"Alright, I'm leaving the two of you alone for a while." Anne Puckerman said pointedly and left the room quickly, apparently wanting to get out of her son's line of fire.

"What do you want here, Berry?" Puck's words sliced through the air as soon as the door to his room had closed. "I thought you were somewhere in New York living your Broadway dream." He added bitterly.

"Well, I do live in New York most of the time. And I am living the dream I had since I was four, that's true." Rachel confirmed, raising her eyebrows at Puck's hostile look. "I'm here in Lima because Mr. Schue invited me to come and talk in front of the glee club." She ignored Puck's snort and went on. "And I heard you were in town, and, quite frankly, I wondered why you hadn't, well, sought out Beth yet." The dwarf-sized diva came right to the point.

"How do you know I'm here?" He counter-questioned, avoiding her actual question.

"Jewish community. Your Mum told my dads." She answered matter-of-factly. "The point is: I know you're here, and I know you haven't met Beth."

"You really have a way of putting your nose into things that are none of your business." He told the tiny brunette and was rewarded with a hurt look on the diva's side.

"And you're being ignorant, Noah." She shot back. "This _is_ my business, very much so. Beth was raised by my mother and I've been in her life as her older sister for years now. I know both you and Quinn, and that better than Shelby ever did. I am the only one who was or is involved with everyone who is stuck in this complicated situation."

"So you want to play the mediator?"

"Yes." Rachel confirmed, meeting his eyes. "It's my duty."

"No, it's not, Berry." Puck objected. "You're just pretending to be a good person. You just invaded my life, and possibly Quinn's and Beth's, because you can't resist all of the drama this _complicated situation_ holds." He accused, putting special emphasis on the words she had used herself to describe the giant mess - that still was none of her business - before.

"No, that's …"

"Oh, hold it." Puck cut the Jewish Broadway star off before she could contradict him. "I stay by my word. You got nothing to do with this. And if you dare to tell Beth I'm here, I can't guarantee for anything." He threatened.

"I just don't understand why you don't go to her." Rachel persisted, and that was when he had had enough.

"And I just don't understand why you can't get your bloody nose out of this!" He shouted. "You have no right to judge me, Berry! You have no idea!"

He watched Rachel shake her head. She was really hurt now, he could tell, and all he thought was: _Good._

"Okay, maybe you're right and I can't understand your part in this." She snapped, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. "But I do understand Beth's situation. I went through hell when Shelby refused to be my Mum back in our sophomore year. And I can tell that Beth is already wondering why you didn't answer her letter yet. Quinn did." She said, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

Puck fought the guilt that threatened to flood him as he watched Rachel Berry fighting back her tears, but he knew he wouldn't apologize to her. She _had _gone too far, no matter her reasons.

"I just want to know why you won't go to her." She finally stated after she'd calmed down sufficiently.

"Oh, you really want to know." He replied sarcastically. "Let's see. I am a thirty-year-old who lives in his Mum's house. I don't have a job, and I don't have any money. I'm no better than my own Dad." He concluded, staring at the floor. "Beth doesn't deserve that."

"And so you're going to stay here and feel miserable for yourself until the day you die?" Rachel challenged.

"No! I'm trying to find a job, but look at me!" He cried out exasperatedly. She could not be that blind, after all. "Who would hire _me_?"

"Everyone's got something they are good at, Noah." She told him softly. "I guess you need to find something you're really good at and turn that into your job."

He looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you really think I can do that?"

"I know you can. You're Noah Puckerman, after all. There's nothing you can't do." She said. "And if you need help, don't hesitate to call me." She added as she turned around and began moving towards the door.

"Rachel?" He called to stop her.

"Yes, Noah?" She looked over her shoulder.

"Please don't tell her. Not yet." He pleaded.

"I won't." She promised.

"And thank you." He whispered moments after the door had closed behind her.

* * *

_So, some Puck here. Promise he'll find a good job, I've already got something in mind. Any guesses?_

_I think it would really be a good idea for you to review. I'd write more and you'd be happy. See? Great deal!  
_


	8. Spelling It Out

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, glee, any of its characters or any of the songs mentioned in this story.**

* * *

_He_y, _guys. I know it's been a while, so without further ado, here's the new chapter:_**  
**

* * *

**Of Mothers And Mums**_  
_

**- Chapter 8 -  
**

**Spelling It Out  
**

Rachel strode into the choir room, fully prepared for the admiring looks she was sure to get. These were McKinley High's New Directions, after all. She had watched some of their performances – as long as it was convenient for her, of course – and she had been impressed that Will had managed to maintain the high level this group had been on after the end of her senior year. Granted, they didn't have the star performer she had been anymore, but there were some talented young people among them, and they put a lot of energy into cultivating their talent and perfecting their performances. They must be interested in and informed on everything that happened on Broadway, and they surely knew her – she was one of its brightest stars, after all. These kids might very well be some of her youngest fans.

She spotted Beth sitting in the second row, next to a red-haired girl and a rather well tanned boy and gave her a bright smile. The boy looked admiringly at her indeed – he must be one of the absolute musical theatre fanatics in this year's New Directions. The girl, however, just looked back and forth between her and Beth, a concerned frown forming on her face. Beth herself stared at her rather coldly.

She was slightly taken aback at Beth's almost-glare, but she slipped her perfect show face on, gave the entire group her brightest, patented Rachel-Berry-smile and started into the speech she had prepared for them.

"You guys have the honor of forming part of the New Directions, one of the best high school show choirs of this nation. Beginning with the performances here, you maybe start to travel down the road of your personal musical career. You have the best starting conditions. Some of the members of the original New Directions I was a part of, too, have really made it. Mercedes Jones, for example, has recorded three successful R&B albums. You may know her under the name of Mercy Jade." She paused briefly for dramatic effect and noticed the recognition in the students' eyes with satisfaction. "Others are building careers in different sectors of the performing arts, too. Some are singers in bands or actors or dancers … You get the idea. All of these talents were discovered and encouraged in this choir room."

She paused again, giving her audience time to exchange excited glances and brief whispers.

"I now want you to take out a piece of paper and write your individual dream on it." She prompted the kids sitting in front of her, reveling in the drama of this situation only she and possibly Mr. Schue knew about. It was the very same thing Bryan Ryan had asked them to do all these years ago, trying to crush their hopes of making it out of Lima. She wasn't planning on doing that to these kids.

"You don't need to tell me what you have written down as your dream. I just want you to replace the term 'dream' with the term 'goal'. You're dreams will not just come true some day. You have to work for them. You have to make them your goal, and if you really want them to come true, you have to do anything and everything to achieve them."

Most of the students looked at her with a mixture of hesitance and anxiety, but also interest and the kind of fascination people show for horror movies, not wanting to look at the screen, but refusing to look away, too. She had them exactly where she wanted them.

"As some of you may know, I am on Broadway." She said, still smiling proudly after all these years at the knowledge that she _had_, in fact, achieved her dreams. "Up until now, I starred in Evita, Funny Girl, Oklahoma, Les Mis, Spring Awakening, Rent, West Side Story and Wicked. And those of you who'll watch the new Wicked movie will notice that Elphaba looks suspiciously like me." She finished with a grin.

"But all of that didn't happen overnight. I had to work hard to get there. When I was your age, I had already been taking vocal and dancing lessons for years, and at least six days a week. I practiced performing in many clubs, amongst them the glee club. In my senior year, I auditioned for NYADA, and I got in." She purposefully skipped the choke. No need to embarrass herself and relive the humiliation she felt back then in front of these strangers. Kids could be cruel, they wouldn't understand that really this just proved that she had struggled to get where she was now. She had fought to get a second chance, fought to get Carmen Tibideaux to watch their Nationals in Chicago, and she'd succeeded. She blinked once and went on as if the slight pause she'd made as the memories hit her had been for dramatic effect yet again.

"The years at NYADA were both beautiful and challenging. Most of the teachers were intimidating, and some even seemed to pick on their students." She smiled at the memory of the early Cassandra July, who, today, was one of her greatest fans. "But all of that just pushed me harder, made me want to get better even more. Without them, I wouldn't have become the well-rounded performer I am today. And I do care to back that up." She said, her smile getting even bigger and brighter. "Brad." She shared a look with the piano player who still worked with the New Directions kids. His hair and beard were now all grey, but apart from that, he still looked the same. Thin, always serious about what he did and dressed perfectly in one of his many suits.

The familiar notes of "On My Own" from Les Mis began to play. Mr. Schue and she had decided on that particular song together, almost as if wanting to bring back the old days to the choir room. Now, however, this song was so much more than her audition piece for the glee club she had put her heart in for three years. She'd also sung it on a Broadway stage numerous times, applause overshadowing the early memories of getting bullied because of her love for musical theatre that had made her an outcast.

She knew she'd blown them away the moment the song had finished and she'd transformed from Éponine back to Rachel Berry. The well-tanned musical theatre lover she'd noticed earlier jumped up to give her a standing ovation, and gradually, all of the other kids joined in. Beth was the last one to get up, and she did it rather reluctantly, which didn't go unnoticed by Rachel. When she looked over to her, however, her younger "sister" refused to look her in the eyes. For the second time within an hour, Rachel hid the confused expression that would have formed on her face behind her show face.

"Okay, guys. That was a real Broadway performance, in our choir room." Mr. Schue said once the frantic clapping had subsided, walking up to Rachel to stand in front of his students as well. "So, what did you think?"

"She's amazing." The boy whom she had labeled as a musical theatre geek breathed, and many of the other kids nodded approvingly.

"Mr. Schue, can we have Mercy Jade next time?" A black girl who sounded very much like Mercedes had back in the day pleaded. "No offense. I'm sure you're a great singer." She turned to Rachel. "But some of us are into a little more, well, modern stuff."

"You're part of a _show_ choir, Trisha." Broadway boy reminded her superiorly. "That sounds a lot more like show tunes than R&B to me."

Rachel exchanged an amused look with Mr. Schue, remembering how often she had had the exact same argument with Mercedes.

"Okay, Trisha, Jacob, that's enough." Mr. Schue stopped their quarreling with finality. "I think Rachel has given you enough of an insight on how to become a Broadway star." He then turned to address the entire group. "I'm sure you have a lot to think about, and I don't think it would make sense to start a rehearsal in the remaining," He glanced at the clock. "Twenty minutes. So, let's call it a day."

She watched the crowd shuffle out of the choir room, reminding Beth that she should wait for her outside. The boy, Jacob, stopped in front of her. "Miss Berry, I – I'm a big fan." He stammered. "I wondered if you could sign this for me?" He asked, handing her a picture of her playing Wendla in Spring Awakening and an edding pen.

"Of course." She said, flashing a smile at him and signing her name on the picture.

"Thank you so much. I really _admire_ you." He said dramatically, almost hyperventilating, before he almost bounced out of the choir room.

"Well, I'm gonna go get Beth." She said after having wallowed in nostalgia quite some time.

Will nodded. "Yeah, that's probably for the best. It was nice seeing you again, Rachel."

"And it was nice being here again, for some reason." She smiled the first honest, non-show-smile of the day. "I'd never have thought I'd enjoy being back in Lima someday. But maybe it's just because it's not permanent." She added, grinning. "Goodbye, Will."

"Goodbye, Rachel. And thanks for coming." He said, watching her walk out of his choir room for the first time since her senior year.

* * *

"I'm sure she doesn't mean to do that." Zoey said, taking a deep breath. "Maybe she can't see how much it hurts you."

"Well, then she's just being ignorant." Beth huffed, remembering the way Rachel and Shelby had been way too friendly with each other during dinner. It had been downright painful to watch. However, her Mum and the girl who was not really her sister had been perfectly oblivious to that fact.

"Oh, here she comes." Beth said gloomily, gesturing towards the front doors of William McKinley High Rachel had just walked through. "I better get going. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you." Zoey echoed, walking away in the direction of the parking lot and her brother's car.

Beth sighed and began walking in the opposite direction, to where Rachel was standing with that unbearable smile of hers on her face.

"Hey, do you want to grab something to eat?" The brunette greeted her cheerfully, apparently still oblivious to what was going on inside of Beth.

"I'd rather not." Beth said evasively, still not wanting to cause a scene, even despite the anger and fury that were boiling inside of her.

"Well, we could also just get some drinks …" Rachel trailed off, looking at Beth questioningly.

"Can't we just go straight home? I'm not really … in the mood." Beth answered, giving Rachel another broad hint.

"Oh. Well, I just thought, maybe you wanted to talk." Rachel stated dryly.

"Can't you just let it be?" Beth snapped, not caring to cover her irritation any more. Apparently, Rachel was just so persistent and plain ignorant that she wouldn't back off any other way. "I don't _want_ to talk to you."

"But I could help." Rachel insisted. "Look, I know what you're going through, Beth, I …"

"Oh, you claim to know what I'm _going through_?" Beth repeated Rachel's words, almost shouting now. "So you must be hurting me on purpose." She accused the older girl, knowing that she would hit a nerve that way.

"I – I wouldn't …"

But Beth didn't give the tiny brunette time to defend herself, launching into the rant that had been going on and on in her head since Rachel had announced her visit ever so casually on the phone.

"Come on! How do you think I feel? I've just learned that my Mum isn't my mother, and then her _only_ biological daughter walks through the door and they're having dinner together, being all smiles and friendly with each other. Just the way a mother and daughter ought to be." She added sarcastically.

"And then, as if that wasn't enough, you come here and dare to _impress_ all of my friends with your talent, pulling them on your side? It's not hard to tell that Jacob worships you, and lots of the others do now, too. They just don't show it as obviously." Beth was now breathing heavily, the confused look in Rachel's eyes fueling her anger even more.

"So, no, I do not want to 'grab something to eat' with you, neither do I want to talk to you at all at the moment. What I'd really want for you to do is to just. Back. Off."

And with that, she spun around on her heels and walked away, leaving a stunned Rachel behind.

"I was supposed to give you a ride." The brunette piped up hesitantly.

"Hell, I'll just take the bus." Beth snapped back without even turning around, hoping that, finally, the annoying diva had gotten the message. She certainly couldn't spell it out any clearer.

* * *

_That's it.__For now.  
_

_I have been promised virtual chocolate chip cookies for writing the Rachel/Beth talk, and I'll pass them on to anyone who reviews.  
_

_So ...  
_


	9. Taking The Next Step

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, glee, any of its characters or any of the songs mentioned in this story.**

* * *

**Of Mothers And Mums**

**- Chapter 9 -  
**

**Taking The Next Step  
**

She got home slightly later than she would have if she had accepted Rachel's offer to give her a ride home, and a lot earlier than she would have if she had accepted her _half sister's_ other offer to grab something to eat or have some drinks together. And she was fully aware of the fact that her Mum was bound notice, but she didn't really care about that at the moment. The anger that burned within her was still fresh, and thus she even slammed the door to their appartment shut behind her so forcefully that she flinched at the sound herself.

She'd never acted like that before. So ... almost _bitchy._ But sometime during the last few days, she'd been pushed over an edge she'd never even got close to before, and now she did things she wouldn't have thought of ever doing in the past.

Like yelling at her supposed half sister in the parking lot of her school.

It was almost impossible to imagine anything that would be more out of character for her. She was certain that everyone who knew her would describe her as a quiet person. She wasn't nearly as loud and theatrical as Shelby or Rachel - whom, of course, she inevitably compared herself to on any occasion these days. Usually, the more upset she got on the inside, the calmer she got on the outside. She'd never exploded like that before, and she could already feel something that resembled guilt nagging at her.

_No. _

She refused regretting the tirade she'd hurled at Rachel about half an hour ago. She refused feeling bad for having yelled at her. She highly doubted the tiny brunette diva would have gotten the message any other way, and she couldn't have beard to just watch her and Shelby living the perfect mother-daughter-relationship right in front of her.

"Beth?" Her Mum's one-worded question was hesitant, and Shelby was obviously contemplating whether or not to enter her adoptive daughter's room now that she had gently pushed the door open. Beth, who had been slouching on her bed, sat up and looked up at her, schooling her face into an indifferent expression.

"Yeah?" The word came out in the coolest voice she'd ever heard escape her mouth, and she had to fight not to flinch at the sound. She didn't want her Mum to be able to read her right now, so she did the one thing she knew exactly she could do just as well as Rachel, thanks to the years of practice she'd had with Shelby: she put on a show face.

"I heard the door." Shelby, who'd settled for standing in the doorway for the time being, arms folded across her chest, stated in a matter of fact voice.

"So?" Beth returned monosyllabically.

"I just wondered what happened." Shelby said, genuine concern and interest in her tone. She let her arms drop and took one slow step into her daughter's room, still hesitant, but crossing the boundary she'd shied away from before.

"I booked a trip to L.A. for us." She said when Beth didn't give her an explanation for her behavior. "One week, during Christmas break."

"But that's in, like, two weeks!" Beth exclaimed in a voice that was a good two octaves higher than her usual speaking voice, instantly knowing what her Mum was up to in L.A.. "I haven't even found the guts to answer her e-mail yet!"

"I know. But I do think you need a little push." Shelby explained calmly, finally walking over to her daughter's bed and sitting down beside her. She chose her next words very carefully, willing for Beth to understand.

"You will never be ready for facing her. That situation is something you'll always feel an urge to run from, no matter how long you wait or how well you prepare. It's what happened to me and Rachel, in a way."

The last sentence sounded sad, and Beth looked up at her Mum questioningly, putting her earlier resentment towards her and Rachel aside. For the moment, at least.

"When I met her, I was terrified. So I ran." Shelby said, a sad smile tucking at the corners of her lips. "I will not allow that to happen to you. You're about as old as she was back then, merely a year younger. I know Quinn wants to be in touch with you. And I know that you yearn for an opportunity to really get to know her, not just exchanging superficial information via e-mail. Even though you yourself might not know it yet."

"I will not let you run. I know you'd regret that later." Shelby finished her little speech.

Beth swallowed the lump in her throat, letting her Mum's words settle in. Then, naturally, she asked what was probably the stupidest question. But she _had _to know.

"Why would you do that? You didn't seem too, well … _fond _of my contact with Quinn last time."

"Was it that obvious?" Shelby asked, almost laughing now. She calmed herself down quickly, however. This was a serious conversation, after all, and she wouldn't allow herself to spoil what might be a key moment for Beth's later relationship with her biological parents out of amusement.

Instead she calmly, reasonably, told Beth the truth.

"I realized that, while I may be jealous of Quinn in a way, I have no right to keep you away from her. And I knew that if you thought I didn't approve of the thought that you might have a relationship with her, it would be harder for you to establish one."

Shelby sighed, looking down at her daughter. Whether or not Beth was adopted didn't have any influence on the way she felt about the girl sitting next to her, and it was true: in a way, she felt threatened by Quinn Fabray, even though the actress had never technically spoken to Beth before.

"I just want you to be happy, Beth." She concluded in full honesty.

"Thank you," was all Beth could say before she engulfed her Mum in a tight hug.

* * *

Noah Puckerman looked around the room he'd been led to. It was simple, white walls that were decorated with posters illustrating the basics of musical theory and lined with shelves that were stacked with sheet music of every genre. The ceiling was wooden with holes in it here and there, probably to improve the acoustics. There were several instruments: a grand piano, some keyboards, guitars, basses, violins, cellos, drums, flutes, trumpets, saxophones and lots of other instruments he couldn't name.

In a way, the room reminded him of the choir room back at McKinley, and, while it was not what he had dreamed of as a teen, he did believe that he could be happy here.

"This is our main room, where choir, band and orchestra rehearsals are held. Everything that requires a lot of space." The man who'd introduced himself as Jim Harrison, director of the Lima School of Music, explained. Puck estimated that he was about fifty years old, and he did seem nice enough. He was dressed in a light blue shirt and blue jeans, and Puck thanked God that he hadn't given in to his mother and worn the only suit he owned.

"There are smaller rooms, too, where the classes for individual instruments are held in small groups or privately."

Puck nodded, knowing that a small smile had formed on his face. He _did _like this place. It relaxed him, made him feel calm.

"You say you have stage experience?" Jim asked. Puck studied Jim's expression, but the older man looked nothing but curious. He wasn't fooled, however. He had been invited to be shown around the place, no obligations attached. But he knew that he had just launched into sort of a job interview, and he certainly wasn't going to give an all too detailed description of his years with the Lionskulls.

"Yes, I was on a band for the last few years." He confirmed. "We travelled and made enough money to support ourselves, but we certainly weren't too successful. You could say that these were my wild years." He admitted, remembering every bit of advice on how to act on a job interview he'd ever got - and his mother had been sure to refresh his knowledge in the last few days.

_Admit to your flaws._

"And you want to settle down now?" Jim dug deeper. "For what reason?"

The question caught him a little off-guard, as did everything that breached the topic of Beth.

"Family." He replied, and the other man seemed satisfied with the answer.

"So you're planning on staying here in Lima." Jim concluded, and Puck nodded affirmatively.

"That's right."

He could practically watch Jim think, contemplating whether or not to offer him the job.

"We _are_ in need of a capable guitar teacher, and I can picture you handle children well. And I do think that someone like you might draw a young, maybe teenaged to our school." Jim told him, and Puck knew that was probably a reference to the mohawk he still wore after all these years, the washed-out jeans and the leather jacket.

"Plus, our other guitar teacher is more in the classical department, so you and your modern pop-rock style would be a good addition to the team. Mix things up a little." Jim concluded.

Puck stared at the man, waiting for him to finally make a decision.

"You can start here on Monday."

* * *

_... Thoughts?_


End file.
